Many people inadvertently aim their body(core) at the head of the horse while driving them with a whip to the horses's butt. What you see at many barns are horses blowing up on the lunge line. Rearing, bucking, stressed out, head to the outside, high headed, inverted, bolting or with some horses just shutting down and refusing to move. Why?

Many people are totally unaware that they are sending mixed and confusing messages to their horse. While the lunge whip is saying " move away or run from me", the person's body or core is saying I'm coming to capture your face. Lunging is or should be the same as when you ride. It should involve bending and suppleness. It should create calm forward energy. Then the horse can focus and connect.

Lunging involves proper alignment, position, timing and strategy. It's about pushing the horse forward into connection. Amount of pressure when and where is paramount. Push too little you will have no respect. Push too hard and you will scare your horse. We want respect balanced with trust, not fear and the fine line between the two is a razor's edge that varies in sharpness from individual horse to horse.